Television, What to Watch
Jul 8, 2020

The Babysitters Club Is Getting A Very Special, Special on The Icon Herself, Claudia Kishi.

The Claudia Kishi Club is set to debut on Netflix this upcoming July 10th. With a look at The Babysitter’s Club most fashionable icon, we can hardly wait.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

For many Asian American women (and other women of color), Claudia Kishi was the first time they saw themselves in popular media. A main character in the best-selling “Baby Sitters Club” books, she was one of the only Asian Americans in 80s-90s popular culture. Not only was Claudia a rare Asian American protagonist, but she also defied stereotypical portrayals of Asian characters: she was creative, popular, and (gasp!) bad at school. For readers who craved seeing themselves in the media they consumed—not as exotic others or token sidekicks, but as fully realized human beings, Claudia was a revelation.

As a blossoming artist, Claudia was a special role model for aspiring young creators—many of whom are now making groundbreaking work of their own. The Claudia Kishi Club features a charismatic cast of Asian American artists and writers including Yumi Sakugawa, Sarah Kuhn, and Phil Yu. With nostalgic readings, personal recollections, and DIY-style stop motion collages, this film is a timely and unique exploration of the importance of representation in media. Find out more here.